Understanding
by Mistress Slytherin
Summary: Harry shows Voldemort the power he does not know, and in return Voldemort gives him something irreplacable.


*****************************************  
Hey, decided to write this one because it was bothering me so. I'm actually quite proud of it considering it came from the rather twisted part of my brain, so let me know what you think of it yeah? CHARACTERS DO NOT BELONG TO ME BUT TO THE WONERFUL JK ROWLING!**

**Your Devoted Writer,  
Mistress Slytherin  
*****************************************

His green eyes stare up at me. Cold. Empty. Resolute. And most importantly, _understanding_. It doesn't matter that his back is nothing more than slices of loose flesh. It doesn't matter that every one he has ever loved has been ripped cruelly from him by me. Nor does it matter to him that I am nothing more than a husk, a shadow of my former self, he simply stares up at me and smiles as if to say 'yes the world deserved retribution, but now it's time to move on. I have long since ordered my death eaters away, I have refused food and water, all I can do is stare into those eyes.

"Tom." The voice is rough from all the screaming he refused to do. All I can do is look at him, at those eyes that _understand_. Agony twists its self in my soul making me visibly shiver, if he notices he does not say anything, instead he says the three most devastating words that no one has ever bothered saying to me. "I love you." I can see the truth in those green eyes and before I know what has happened tears are sliding down my hollow cheeks. I am surprised, I haven't cried since Dumbledore refused to let me stay at Hogwarts for the summer.

"I-" He holds up a hand, his eyes so full of understanding.

"No Tom you don't because you and I both know that you have never loved before." How is it that he sees these things? He seems to know my thoughts because his smile widens. "But then again neither have I." I tremble as he approaches me and wonder if I am going to disappear because of the quiet devotion he shows me now.

"Harry..." My words sound weak in my own ears and I turn my head to the side so that he can't see it in my eyes. He makes a cooing noise and pulls my face towards his.

"Don't pull away Tom." He whispers against my lips, he must see the terror in my eyes because he pulls away slightly.

"Why?" I ask not sure exactly what I want answered. He closes his eyes and I almost whimper, _me _the Dark Lord!

"Because I have no one else to love, because you never had any body to love, and because I know more than anyone the reason you crave immortality so." The reason I...No! He can't know that! It's hidden! Secreted away in a blanket of hatred and self-loathing. Yet his eyes tell me that he does know.

"You-" I don't finish because his lips are on mine, soft, warm, inviting. No one has ever been inviting to me before, I loose myself in the kiss. Both of us, I realize are quite new to this making it somewhat sloppy, but right now that doesn't matter- nothing matters more than those lips caressing mine. He pulls away and I am left in awe.

"You don't need to be afraid anymore Tom, I love you." I smile slightly and give in to the tears that I have held back for too long. He slides into my lap letting his blood soak into my robes and clings to me, it's only then that I realize how battered he really is. I let one of my claw-like fingers gently scrape one of the long gashes on his back and flinch as he moans in pain. _He is going to die._ The thought hits me, stunning me, strangling me and drawing up a panic I've never known. And then I am calm, because my greatest fear has been conquered and it is the creature that rests in my lap that has made it so. I smile. For the first time in my life I am smiling, because I know what must happen next.

"Harry?" I say softly as I wrap my arms around him and hold him closely, the way no one has ever held me.

"Hmmm?" the boy says to weak to form any more words.

"I love you too." And then green eyes are staring up at me, wide with shock, and I am glad. Because I was the first person who ever told him that he was loved just as he was mine. I press my lips against his scar and feel his long lashes swipe across my jaw as his eyes close. But I am not finished; I have one more gift to give him, one I never thought I would give anyone. His eyes snap open as the first tendrils of my magic sweep through him, he looks at me bewildered and clutches tightly to my robes despite his fatigue.

"No." He whispers brokenly, my magic picks up and begins to swirl around us as I claim his lips one last time. I can feel his wounds healing, his life returning to him and I smile as I pull away.

"The old fool was wrong all along Harry," I whisper knowing that my time was near and feeling surprisingly comforted by it. "I was not your love that destroyed me, it was your understanding." And with that I drift away forcing the young body to accept my magic while my body dies.

"Tom?" Harry whispered sadly, though he already knew that the Dark Lord was gone. Something inside of him warmed and he knew more than anything that his greatest enemy had given him the greatest gift, his love. It made sense now. By giving Harry his love Voldemort had completed the bond Harry's mother created all those years ago. Voldemort had given Harry his magic, which in essence was alive ensuring that Harry would never be alone again. He stood slowly though he didn't feel any pain and clambered off the throne. His eyes met the empty ones of one Hermione Granger, then the equally empty eyes of Ron Weasley before he pulled out the vibrantly pink sock that somehow had stayed in his pocket. He grasped the cold skin of his former friends and with one last lingering look at Voldemort whispered 'farewell' befor a familiar tug at his navel sent him spinning.

"Harry?" He heard the head masters voice call to him as he tried to clear his mind of any residual dizziness. He looked around and realized that he had portkeyed right in the middle of an order meeting, he met the horrified eyes of Molly Weasley and whispered hoarsely:

"Voldemort is dead." Her gaze landed on him and her mouth snapped shut though tears rolled freely down her cheeks. She nodded.

"Thank you." She whispered before dissolving into tears and throwing herself onto her son's cold corpse. Harry met Dumbledore's eyes which seemed to him a thousand years old despite the relief that sagged his shoulders.

"It's not possible." Snape said bewildered. "Potter is nothing more than a mere child, how could he have possibly defeated the Dark Lord?" Harry smiled wanly.

"Sometimes professor, I wonder if you will ever grow up." His professor growled and Dumbledore chuckled. Harry felt his strength ebbing away and let it knowing that Tom's magic would comfort him in his rest.

"_arry_...._Harry_....Harry!" Harry woke three days later in the bright, sterile rooms of what could only be identified as the infermery. Twinkling blue eyes met his own blurry irritated eyes.

"Merlin a guy saves the world from certain doom and they can't even let him get some shut-eye!" He groused as he reached out and successfully found his glasses. Dumbledore looked shocked now that he was in focus and Harry couldn't help but snigger at the fact that he had just pulled one over on the esteemed headmaster. The old man's features softened immensely, but hardened quickly and Harry knew that his games were over.

"How did you do it?" Harry was surprised, usually the headmaster would play subtle games with him until he wheedled the answer out of him. Harry rose an eyebrow and let himself fall back onto the scratchy pillows on the hospital bed. Eventually he turned to the wizened wizard and smiled tiredly.

"I understood."


End file.
